


Labor Day

by artist_artists



Category: Glee
Genre: Future Fic, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-01
Updated: 2013-03-01
Packaged: 2017-12-03 22:53:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/703566
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/artist_artists/pseuds/artist_artists
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sebastian helps Kurt plan out a date for the guy at his office he has a crush on, but things don't go exactly as planned.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Labor Day

**Author's Note:**

> This was written on Labor Day last year (shocking, I know!) for a very specific (and thus somewhat spoilerly) prompt, so this was pre-season 4, though I don't think that matters, other than the Adam mentioned in the fic not being the same as the actual Adam on the show.

“I need a favor,” Kurt said as he took a seat next to Sebastian at the table. The coffee shop was one of a few places that Sebastian could usually be found between his classes, and Kurt was relieved that he had looked here first. 

“Finally ready to take me up on that blowjob offer, huh?” Sebastian asked, not even looking up from his laptop screen.

Kurt rolled his eyes. Though he and Sebastian had built a tentative friendship over the past year after running into each other at one Kurt’s boss’s parties, he was definitely not interested in any sort of friends-with-benefits situation with Sebastian. Kurt knew Sebastian only offered because he was trying to make Kurt uncomfortable, anyway. After a year, though, Kurt was used to it. “Hardly,” he replied. “But if you help me, I might be able to get one from Jack.”

Sebastian lifted his eyes to meet Kurt’s. “That English guy you work with?” 

“The wonderful, attractive, charming, gay, and English guy I work with, yes,” corrected Kurt. 

“Oh, please,” scoffed Sebastian. “You’ve known him for eight months. If it hasn’t happened yet, it’s not going to.”

“Not all of us are comfortable sleeping with people 10 minutes after meeting them, Sebastian,” Kurt snapped. “We’re… working up to it.”

Sebastian laughed. “Riiiight. And what is it you think I can do to aid your pathetic quest for foreign blowjobs?”

“Foreign _romance_ ,” Kurt corrected him. “We were talking about Labor Day, because I guess they don’t celebrate it in England, and he was asking what people normally do…”

“And you told him they sit around and get wasted because all it _really_ means to people is that summer’s over?”

“No,” Kurt said, glaring at Sebastian. “I told him it’s about celebrating workers and labor unions, and… stuff. And I told him about the parade they have here in the city. I invited him to come watch it with me, and he said yes, and your apartment is right on the parade route, and it’s tomorrow morning, so I thought…”

“Nope,” Sebastian said. “No way. I _sleep_ on Saturday mornings, I don’t entertain guests.”

“Well, you wouldn’t be there, obviously,” Kurt replied. “You can go to my apartment and sleep.”

Sebastian snorted. “There is no way in hell that’s happening. Your apartment is a dump. I’m not going all the way to Brooklyn on a Saturday morning to sleep on your lumpy mattress while you try to seduce a guy in my apartment.”

“I’m not going to _seduce_ him,” Kurt argued.

“Well, obviously,” Sebastian said. “I said _try_ to seduce him.”

Kurt ignored the jab. “Look, I already told him I had a friend who had a great view from his apartment. What if I said you don’t have to leave? Just… stay in the bedroom. We won’t be there that long, maybe just a couple of hours, and then I’ll take him out for coffee or something.”

“No,” Sebastian said, returning his attention to his laptop. “Not if I don’t get anything in return.”

Kurt reached over and pushed down the screen of Sebastian’s laptop so he couldn’t see it anymore. “You’re not giving anything up,” he hissed. “You’ll just sleep right through the whole thing.”

“Why the fuck do you even want to watch the Labor Day parade anyway?” Sebastian asked. “It’s boring as hell. If you actually want a chance at fucking this guy, you have to come up with something better than that.”

“I’ve been trying,” Kurt grumbled. “But this is the first time he’s taken any of my offers to hang out, so I have to take advantage of it. Come on, Sebastian, all you have to do is stay out of your living room for a few hours.”

“Fine,” Sebastian said, heaving a deep sigh. “I’ll do it if you give me Adam’s number.”

“Adam’s straight,” Kurt reminded him. It was a familiar argument. “And anyway, I can’t have you harassing my coworkers.”

Sebastian rolled his eyes. “Sure he is. That’s the deal, Kurt. Take it or leave it.”

-

Kurt entered Sebastian’s apartment the next morning at 9:30 am using the key he had been given the day before, and was surprised to see Sebastian in his living room, shirtless with pajama pants, holding a cup of coffee.

“You’re up,” Kurt said. “I thought Saturday mornings were for sleeping.”

“Yeah, well, it’s hard to sleep when I know I have people coming to take over my apartment,” Sebastian muttered. “What’s in the bag?”

“I brought bagels,” Kurt said.

Sebastian scrunched up his face in disgust. “Oh, gross, you’re going to make this into a little picnic, aren’t you?”

“You promised you’d stay in your room,” Kurt reminded him. “He’s supposed to be here soon.”

“ _You_ promised me Adam’s phone number.”

Kurt reached into his pocket to pull out the scrap of paper he had scribbled Adam’s phone number on the day before. He had taken it directly from the employee phone tree, and he felt a bit guilty about it. “Don’t… tell him you know me, okay?”

Sebastian rolled his eyes. “Trust me, I don’t tell anyone I know you if I can help it. Enjoy your seduction attempts. I’m going to go watch TV in my room.”

“Quietly,” Kurt warned him as he placed the bag of bagels on an end table

“Quietly,” Sebastian agreed. He reached toward the bag and Kurt slapped his hand away.

“Those aren’t for you,” he snapped. “Go away.”

“This guy will just be so lucky to have you,” Sebastian said, rubbing at his hand as he walked toward his bedroom. “You’re a real delight.”

-

Jack was supposed to arrive around 9:45, so Kurt spent the next 15 minutes setting the stage for what he hoped would be a very romantic first date. He moved the end table and a few of the dining room chairs over to the large picture window that faced the parade route, and set up the bagels on a decorative plate, transferred the cream cheese in a small bowl, and brought over aknife, a few glasses and a carton of orange juice. He found a small vase with fresh flowers sitting on Sebastian’s kitchen table, and he grabbed that as well, placing it in the center of the small table by the window. It looked perfect. Kurt checked his watch. He had a few minutes to spare, so he took a seat and waited.

And waited. And waited.

Kurt waited until after 10:30 before texting Jack. He didn’t want to bother him if he was on his way, but the parade had already started passing through the street below, and Kurt knew he couldn’t wait much longer.

_Hey, it’s after 10:30 and we were supposed to meet at 9:45. Is everything okay? Are you having trouble finding the place?_

Ten minutes passed before Jack replied.

_Oh, sorry, I forgot we had plans. I had a really late night last night, so I’m just going to stay in this morning. I’ll see you Monday at work._

Kurt took a few calming breaths to stop himself from picking up the vase and throwing it across the living room. It was stupid, he knew. He hardly knew Jack at all, despite working with him for eight months, and it was ridiculous for him to get so upset. Jack was just an inconsiderate guy that Kurt had let himself believe had boyfriend potential. Kurt wasn’t annoyed with Jack so much as he was annoyed by his own idiocy.

“Hey, Sebastian!” he called after a minute. “You can come out. I’m done here.”

Sebastian’s door opened almost immediately, and he gave the room an appraising glance. “Where’s Jack?” he said, his eyes resting on the table Kurt had set up.

“Sleeping off a hangover, it seems,” Kurt grumbled, grabbing a bagel from the plate and taking a bite without cutting it. “He forgot we made plans.”

He expected Sebastian to laugh, but he just winced. “I guess that means I can have a bagel now, then?”

“Yeah, go ahead,” Kurt replied. “I can’t eat all of them myself.”

“I don’t know,” Sebastian said, crossing the room and taking the other seat Kurt had placed by the end table. “I’ve seen you eat a whole lot when you’re upset.”

“True,” Kurt agreed. “Don’t let me eat all of these bagels. I’ll regret it later.”

They ate quietly for a few minutes, gazing at the street below them and watching the floats and people pass. 

“It’s not exactly the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, is it?” Kurt remarked.

Sebastian laughed. “Hey, I told you it sucked.”

“Yeah, I doubt Jack would have been impressed anyway,” Kurt mused. “It’s probably best he didn’t show. You were right. It’s been eight months. It’s not gonna happen.”

“I’m always right,” replied Sebastian, taking a sip of orange juice. “I’d lecture you for not listening, but I got free bagels and OJ out of it, so…”

“The orange juice is yours,” Kurt informed him.

“Well, that’s just unacceptable,” Sebastian said. “Now you owe me.”

Kurt rolled his eyes. “Why don’t I just get a copy of my whole office’s phone directory?”

Sebastian tapped his chin, pretending to ponder the offer. “I suppose that will have to do,” he said. 

“So what are you doing today?” Kurt asked. “Any exciting plans?”

“Besides calling Adam and trying to convince him that he really wants to go out with me tonight?”

“Adam’s straight.”

“Yeah, we’ll see.” Sebastian downed the last bit of his orange juice. “I don’t really have any plans.”

“Me neither,” Kurt replied. “I was sort of hoping this might turn into an all-day date-type thing, so…”

“You know, you really should have just directly told him you wanted to sleep with him,” Sebastian suggested. “I doubt this would have happened if you had.”

“I don’t want to sleep with him,” Kurt snapped. “Well, I mean, I do, obviously, but that’s not…” Kurt sighed. “I don’t _just_ want that. I want someone who will sit here and watch this stupid parade with me even though it’s the most boring thing on the planet. I haven’t had a real boyfriend since Blaine and I’m just… really ready to move on.” Kurt immediately felt embarrassed for mentioning all of this to Sebastian. This was normally something he reserved for his female friends. Saying it in front of Sebastian was just asking to be made fun of. “Sorry,” Kurt said. “I know you don’t care. Forget I said anything?”

“Sure,” Sebastian said. “As soon as I remind you that the quest for a boyfriend will go much smoother if you actually try and pursue guys who are interested in you.” Kurt opened his mouth to argue, but Sebastian cut him off. “And do _not_ say no guys are interested in you, because that’s bullshit. You’re just too stupid to notice, and you’ve been fixated on this guy for _months_ when it’s always been clear he’s not interested in being your boyfriend. It’s like you’re trying to sabotage yourself.”

“I have _not_ been fixated on him for months,” Kurt argued. “I just thought he was attractive, and-”

“Kurt, as much as it pains me to say this, I _know_ you, okay? I know when you’re fixated on someone. I also know that you somehow don’t notice how many guys stare at you when we’re out dancing.”

“Oh, and those guys want to be my boyfriend?” Kurt spit. “They’re staring at my ass in a club, not fantasizing about marrying me.”

“Some of them might be,” Sebastian argued. “You wouldn’t know, you never talk to anyone.”

“I’m not interested in dating strangers I meet at a club,” Kurt said. “There’s no way to tell if we have anything in common until we’ve already slept together, and then they either disappear or it gets really awkward because we’re really not suited for each other at all.”

“So you don’t want to date strangers, and you don’t want to date friends, but Jack, the stuck-up English guy from work who barely pays attention to you is at the top of your list?”

Kurt frowned. “What do you mean, I don’t want to date friends?”

“Nothing,” Sebastian said, avoid Kurt’s gaze. “Nevermind. Just… stop stressing about it, okay? When you whine, it gives me a headache.”

Kurt watched Sebastian for a moment, still trying to work out his comment on dating friends. Sebastian was Kurt’s only friend who was gay and not in a relationship. Kurt had always assumed that Sebastian’s advances were made in jest, but maybe there was a chance Sebastian actually liked him. Kurt would be lying if he said he had never considered Sebastian as a potential boyfriend, but he hadn’t lingered on the thought long. Most days, he was surprised they could tolerate each other enough to be friends, and anything more seemed out of the question. Sebastian was attractive, though, tall and toned with a wonderful smile, even when it was mocking. He had a good sense of humor, he worked hard, and Kurt genuinely enjoyed the time they spent together. Maybe he had been reading the situation all wrong.

“Sebastian,” he began, then paused to consider his next words. Even if Sebastian was interested in dating him, he wouldn’t want to be called out on it so blatantly. Kurt knew that would just make Sebastian close off and get defensive. “Do you want to do something today? I know you have plans to harass my coworker, but if you could hold off on that for a bit, I’d really appreciate it. I’ve had sort of a rough morning.”

Sebastian looked up. “I could spare a few hours, I suppose,” he said. “What did you have in mind?”

“I don’t know,” Kurt admitted. He hadn’t thought that far ahead, but he hoped his next question would steer Sebastian in the right direction. “What were you going to do with Adam?”

“Uh, sleep with him, hopefully,” replied Sebastian. “But you have terrible taste in men, so that’s not really an option for us.”

“No, I guess not,” Kurt replied, moving his attention back to the parade still going on outside. “Not today, at least.” Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Sebastian raise a questioning eyebrow.

“Not today,” Sebastian repeated, then huffed out a laugh. “We could just… finish watching the parade, and then maybe figure something out?” he suggested after a minute, keeping his eyes trained on Kurt. “We could do a late lunch or something.”

Kurt tried not to grin. He had never actually sat down with Sebastian at a restaurant for a meal, so he could only assume this was Sebastian’s way of asking him out on a date. It had only taken Kurt a few minutes to make it happen, too. He couldn’t believe it. How long had Sebastian been waiting for the slightest hint that Kurt might be interested? 

“That sounds good,” Kurt said. “Let’s do it.” 


End file.
